Monday's health and safety news from the world of football:
- Former NFL running back and ESPN college football analyst Robert Smith opened up to the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he is a recovering alcoholic and how former Minnesota Vikings teammate Cris Carter's Hall of Fame speech helped him to go public about how he has not had a drink since 1990.
- KETV-TV in Omaha, Neb., reported on a new device called the "heads up hit" system, which tells the player when his head drops too low with a beeper inside his helmet.
- The Baltimore Ravens reported how kicker Matt Elam is re-enrolling at the University of Florida to complete his degree.
- Houston Texans owner Bob McNair recently donated $3 million to Houston Baptist University for upgrades in the school's football stadium, the Houston Chronicle reported.
- The Dallas Morning News provided an in-depth report on the concussion investigation being conducted jointly by Texas Instruments and the UT-Dallas Medical Center.
- NFL.com reported on New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick's efforts in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am over the weekend.
- DoDLive featured Pro Bowl players and their visits with members of the Wounded Warriors Project last month.
- The Las Vegas Sun looked at what it called the "high stakes" world of youth sports and the extent of parental involvement.
- The Houston Chronicle reported on a blood-test concussion study for teen athletes by the Baylor College of Medicine that is funded by the National Institutes of Health through the NFL.
- The Kingsport Times-News looked at the implementation of concussion policies by the city's school board in light of new head-injury laws in Tennessee; the Shelbyville (Tenn.) Times-Gazette had a similar report.
-- Bill Bradley, contributing editor
